Rotary engine.



R. S. WILKIE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DB0. 22, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

JIPPLIIMI'IION FILED 1350.22, 1,913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 13m22.191s.

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'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFRE.

RICHARD S. WILKIE, OF BAKER, OREGON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

T 0 all fr0/0m t may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD S. IVILKIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baker, in the county of Baker and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines and one of the most important objects thereof is to provide an engine of this character which will possess many important features over the various forms of rotary and reciprocating engines now in use.

Probably the most important feature of the invention resides in the great amount of steam saved by the construction of my engine as herein described, since, unlike most forms of rotary ,steam engines, I employ the expansive force of the steam instead of the mere power obtained from a jet thereof under high pressure.

Another object is to provide means for ,overcoming the great amount of friction prevalent in most rotary engines and due to the rotating pistons being thrown outwardly, by centrifugal force, into contact with the outer wall of the cylinder bore.

Still another object is to provide simply constructed and operated inlet valves.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and combination herein described and claimed and shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 is an edge view of my improved rotary engine; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, the major part of the rotor being shown in elevation; Fig. 4: is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in elevation that are shown in section in Fig. 8; Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 showing the construction and operating means of one of the sliding abutments; Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 3 showing` the construction and operating means for one of the intake valves; Fig. S is a detail section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 22, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

serial No. 808,260.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, I have shown a shaft S mounted within suitable bearings B supported by posts P, a stationary annular cylinder C, a rotor R, a cam pulley P for actuating abut-ments A and a fly wheel F, said rotor, pulley, and fly wheel being keyed to the shaft S and adapt4 ed to rotate therewith.

The cylinder C is formed in two annular halves bolted together on their outer edges, each of said halves being provided with abutment casings A and one of said halves being provided with intake ports I and exhaust ports E disposed at predetermined intervals around the circumference of said cylinder.

The abutments A are of ordinary con struction being actuated at proper intervals, by means of operating rods O carrying studs or antifriction rollers on their outer ends, said studs or rollers resting within the cam groove G 0f the pulley P. It will be clearly seen by reference to the drawings, that the exhaust ports E are disposed in advance of the abutments A while the intake ports I are in the rear thereof.

Slide valves V are mounted within casings I and are adapted to open and close the intake ports I at proper intervals. These slide valves V are provided with L-shaped operating rods L the shanks of which project through stufling boxes on the inner sides of the casings I while their bases extend laterally and have their terminals engaged with a cam groove G in one side of the rim of t-he rotor R. This rim of the rotor R is connected by radial spokes R to the hub H which is keyed to the shaft S and the periphery of said rim carries an annular rib r which rests between the two halves of the cylinder C on the inner sides, piston rings being located between said rib and the halves of said cylinder for obvious purposes. The inlet casings I communicate by means of inlet tubes I with an inlet manifold M, a ball governor g being located within said manifold and operated in the ordinary manner from the shaft S of the motor. The various exhaust ports are connected by exhaust pipes E to an exhaust manifold E which may lead to any suitable point.

Coming now more particularly to more novel features of construction, the periphery of the rotor R carries a plurality of radially projecting studs l, two being here shown,

said studs being disposed in radial alinement with two of the spokes R of the rotor. Bores 2 extend through the studs l, the rini of the rotor, and open to one side of the spokes R, said spokes being here provided with parallel ears 3 for a purpose to appear.

Each piston 4 is provided with a radial socket 5 with which is engaged one of the studs 2. The pistons 4 are slidably mounted on the studs and-are allowed a slight amount of radial movement within the bore of the cylinder C, piston rings G forming a iiuid tight connection between the two.

In .order to overcome the centrifugal motion imparted to the pistons 4 by the rotation of the rotor R, I provide levers 7 pivoted upon pins 8 between the ears 3, said levers carrying weights 9 on their outer ends, while their inner ends project into the bores 2 and are connected by links l() with the pistons 4. As clearly shown, these links are threaded into the pistons 4 at their outer ends and are pivoted at their inner ends to the levers 7 In the operation of the device, steam is admitted through the intake manifold M and said steam passes through the governor g and the inlet pipes I into the inlet casings I. If the rotor be in the proper position, so that one of the slide valves V will have opened one of the inlet ports I, the steam will enter the cylinder C through said inlet port and will force the piston 4 (see top of Fig. 3) approximately twothirds of the distance between the abutment A at the left of Fig. 3 and the abutment A at the right thereof. At this point the slide valve V is closed by the action of the cam groove G and the operating rod L and the steam between the abutment A at the left of the figure, and the steam 4 will be free to expand thus forcing said piston toward the abutment at the right of the figure, said abutment being retracted by means of its operating rod O and the cam groove G in the pulley P in ample time to allow the piston to pass. During this operation, any air which is compressed by the rotation of the piston 4 is forced out the exhaust port E to the exhaust manifold. The above action is repeated successively every time a piston 4 enters the space between two abutments A and a description of the movements of parts between two of said abutments is thought to be sufficient. The pistons 4 will of course rotate the rotor R and the drive shaft S, the governor g now coming into action to maintain an even movement of said rotor and the shaft S. During this rotation of the pistons and the rotor, the tendency of the pistons is to fly outwardly, due to the centrifugal force, but the tendency of the weights 9 is likewise to fly out and due to the connections between the Weights 9 and the pistons 4 said pistons are prevented from being acted upon by centrifugal force. rlhis I consider a very important improvement over rotary engines now in use since a great percentage of their power is lost by friction between the outer edges of the pistons and the walls of the cylinder.

I have shown a pivoted lever, weighted on one end, and a connection between the piston and the other end of said lever, but it will be obvious that this connection need not necessarily be a link as equal advantage would be derived if a flexible connection were employed. I may, if found advantageous, substitute a coil spring.

Although I have described my invention with considerable minuteness, I do not wish to be limited to details of construction other than those amplied in the appended claims,

laving thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

l. In a rotary engine, the combination with an annular cylinder and a rotor, of a piston carried by said rotor, and mounted for slight radial movement within said cylinder and mechanism for overcoming the centrifugal force exerted on said piston.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with an annular cylinder and a rotor, of a stud projecting radially from the periphery of said rotor, a piston slidable within said cylinder and mounted upon said stud for slight radial movement, a weight adapted to move radially outward when the rotor is revolved and connections between said piston, and said weight for overcoming the centrifugal force exerted on said piston.

3. A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder, a mechanically operated abutment therein, a mechanically operated intake valve for said cylinder, an exhaust port therefor, a rotor, a piston loosely mounted for slight radial movement on said rotor and slidable within said cylinder, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said rotor, a connection between one end of said lever and said piston and a weight on the opposite end of said lever.

4. A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder, a mechanically operated abutment therein, a mechanically operated intake valve for said cylinder, an exhaust port therefor, a rotor, a hollow stud projecting radially from the periphery thereof, a piston slidable within said cylinder and having a socket receiving said hollow stud, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said rotor, a connecting element slidable within the bore of said stud, and connecting said piston with one end of said lever and a weight on the opposite end of said lever.

5. A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder, a mechanically operated abutment therein, a mechanically operated intake valve for said cylinder, an exhaust port therefor, a rotor Comprising a rim, a hub and a spoke, a stud projecting radially from the periphery of said rim, said stud, rim and spoke being provided with a radial bore, a piston slidable Within said cylinder and having a socket receiving said stud, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said spoke and having` one end projecting into said bore, a link Within said bore and connecting witnesses.

RICHARD S. WILKIE. Witnesses F. II. RYDER, C. I). POTTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

